Ditcher boom mounted side scraper



April 15, 1958 s w I 2,830,390

DITCHER BOOM MOUNTED SIDE SCRAPER Filed Feb. 10, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR f. A. SEW/u RD ATTORNEYS April 15, 1958 E. R. SEWARD 2,830,390

DITGIjER BOOM MOUNTED SIDE SCRAPER Filed Feb. 10, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 117.5 i/QSEWAED y BM ATTORNEYS April 15, 1 958 E. R. SEWARD DITCHER BOOM MOUNTED SIDE SCRAPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 10, 1955 INVENTOR- BYMM ATTORNEYS United States Patent DITCHER BOOM MOUNTED SIDE SCRAPER Emmett R. Seward, Houston, Tex.

Application February 10, 1955, Serial No. 487,281

6 Claims. (Cl. 37-86) This invention relates to ditchers, and more specifically, the invention pertains to side scrapers therefor.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide scraping means for ditchers which function to scrape back into the ditch any dirt which may accumulate during the digging operation or which may fall on opposite sides of the ditch as a result of overflowing buckets.

Another object of this invention is to provide side scrapers for diggers which may be vertically elevated and which are capable of angular adjustment about a vertical axis as well as about a horizontal axis.

A further object of this invention is to provide side scrapers for ditching machines which automatically adjust themselves relative to any angle of position of the boom.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a reversible scraper blade for the side scrapers whereby the life thereof is materially increased.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide adjustable shoes for the side scrapers.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a ditching machine equipped with side scrapers constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the side scraper illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the scraper shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the scraper shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail perspective view of the scraper illustrating the adjustment means for one of the scraper shoes.

Figure 6 is a detail transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the scraper side and top.

Figure 7 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly in section, of the carriage and winch means illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the carriage and winch means shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view of the track for the carriage.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates, in general, a conventional ditch digger which includes a substantially rigid boom 12 formed of elongated laterally spaced and longitudinally extending top frame members 14, and elongated laterally spaced and longitudinally extending bottom frame members 16, the latter being substantially parallel to its adjacent top frame member. The boom 12 is pivotally supported at its upper end on a cross-shaft 18, the ends of which are supported between the upper ends of a pair of spaced channel iron members 20. As is seen in the drawings, the members 20 project upwardly at an angle from a ditcher frame 22 to which the lower ends thereof 2,830,390 Patented Apr. 15, 1958 (not shown) are rigidly secured by conventional means.

Each of the channel iron members 20 are fixedly secured on the upper ends of a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced channel iron standards 24, the lower ends of which are rigidly secured to the rear end portion of the ditcher frame 22.

One end of a pair of horizontally extending channel iron beams 26 are rigidly secured to the upper ends of the standards 24, the beams 26 extending away from the ditcher frame 22. Cross-braces 28 and 30 serve to support the beams 26 in horizontal position, the braces 28 having their upper ends secured, respectively, to the outer ends of the beams 26, and their lower ends fixedly secured to the lower ends of the standards 24. One end of the cross-braces 30 are rigidly secured to the cross-braces 28 centrally thereof, and their respective other ends are fixedly secured to the standards 24 adjacent the upper ends thereof.

Cross-braces 32 extending between the longitudinal frame members 14 and 16 hold the members in fixed relation relative to each other.

Side plates 34 extend transversely across and are secured to each pair of top and bottom frame members 14, 16 and are positioned adjacent the inner end of the boom 12. A shaft 36 is journaled between the upper ends of the side plates 34 and is provided with a pulley 38 adjacent each end thereof. A pair of sheaves 40 is mounted on opposite ends of a shaft 42 which is supported between the outer ends of the beams 26. Cables 44 are trained between the pulleys 38 and sheaves 40 whereby the angle of inclination of the boom 12 may be selectively adjusted.

A plurality of longitudinally spaced rollers 46 extend transversely of the frame members 14 and 16 and are journaled for rotation thereon. Enlarged rollers 48 (only one being shown in the drawings) are mounted for rotation on the shafts 18 disposed at opposite ends of the boom 12, and an endless conveyor belt 50 is trained over the rollers 46 and 48. Buckets or scoops 52 are fixedly secured to the belt 50. Means, not shown, are provided for driving the conveyor belt 50.

The foregoing brief description has been drawn to diggers well known in this art, and as such comprises no part of the present invention which pertains to the side scraper assembly to be described below.

A plurality of brackets 54 are mounted on the sides of the upper and lower frame members 14, 16 by bolts 56, the brackets extending transversely thereof in longitudinally spaced relation relative to the boom 12. Each bracket 54 is provided with a pair of webs 54a which are welded or otherwise secured to the bight portion 58 of a pair of inverted substantially U-shaped and parallel guide rails 60 each having side walls 62, 64 which converge inwardly toward their respective bights 58. A plurality of rail ties 65 are secured to the rails 60 intermediate the brackets 54 to maintain the spaced relation between the rails.

The open ends of the guide rails 60 confront each other and the rails are adapted to support a carriage 66 for reciprocation therebetween.

The carriage 66 is seen to comprise an elongated metallic plate 68 substantially rectangular in configuration on the opposite ends of which are mounted a spindle or shaft 70 by bolts 72. A frusto-conical roller 74 is mounted for rotation on the opposite ends of the shafts 70, the rollers being mounted in the opposed guide rails 60 and engaging the side walls 62, 64. An L-shaped roller guard 76 is also secured to each end of the plate 68 by the bolts 72 and has an arm portion 78 leading each of the rollers.

A pair of spaced wheels 80, 82 are mounted on axles 84 which extend through the plate 68 adjacent the lower marginal edge thereof and ride on the bight 58 of the lowermost of the guide rails 60. The axles 84 have a threaded end to receive lock nuts 85. Additionally, a third wheel 86 mounted on axle 87 also extends through the plate 68 adjacent the wheel 80, and is adapted to engage the bight 58 of the uppermost of the guide rails 60. The axle 87 is also provided with a threaded end to receive the lock nut 88. A shaft plate 90 having a substantially rectangular configuration is suitably apertured to receive therethrough a portion of the axles 84 and 87 and is clamped to the plate 68 by the nuts 85 and 88. As is seen in Figure 8, one end of a shaft 92 is welded to the plate 90 and projects laterally from a side thereof intermediate the ends of the plate. The foot portion 94 of an L-shaped bracket 96 is secured to the plate 90 by a bolt 98, the axle 84 and nut 85. The leg portion 100 projects laterally from the plate 90 and is secured by bolts 102 and nuts 104 to the lower end of an elongated, substantially rectangular support member 106.

To the upper end of the support member 106 is secured by bolts 108 and nuts 109, an L-shaped angle member 110. An elongated substantially rectangular plate 112 is secured to the angle member 110 by bolts 114 and nuts .116. The plate 112 is provided with an opening 118 (see Fig. 7) which receives therethrough a sleeve 120 rotatably mounted on the shaft 92. The sleeve 120 is integrally formed with the lever 122, the function of which .will be hereinafter described.

The bolts 108 and nuts 109 also secure a second L- shaped angle member 124 to the support member 106, and to this angle member is secured, by bolts 126 and nuts 128, a second elongated substantially rectangular plate 130. The plate 130 is positioned in spaced substantially parallel relation relative to the plate 112.

A shaft 132 is supported for rotation between the upper ends of the plates 112, 130 and has a winch 134 mounted thereon for rotation therewith. One end of the shaft 132 has a worm gear 136 keyed thereto which is in mesh with a worm shaft 138 supported and journaled in a pair of spaced hollow bosses 140, 142 formed at the upper end of the plate 130. The shaft138, at one of its ends, terminates in a crank arm 144.

A ratchet wheel 146 is keyed to the other end of the shaft 132 adjacent the plate 112 and is adapted for engagement by a ratchet pawl 148 pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end of the plate 112 on the pivot pin 150.

A cable 152 has one of its ends secured to the winch 134 and the other end is passed through an opening 154 formed in a lug 156. This end of the cable is looped and secured on itself at 158 by any conventional means.

The lug 156 is integrally formed with or is fixedly secured to anelongated hollow open ended cylindrical sleeve 160 rotatably mounted on a shaft 162. The shaft 162 has one of its ends welded at 164 to the lever 122 and carries a thrust bearing sleeve 166 at its inner end and a pair of thrust bearing sleeves 168, 170 at its other or outer end. The shaft 162 is centrally threaded at its outer end to receive a bolt 172 on which is mounted a centrally apertured washer 174 adapted to maintain the sleeve and bearing in this respective related positions on the shaft 162.

The shaft 162 is welded at 176 to a sector-shaped plate 178 provided with an arcuate slot 180 at one end thereof. A bolt 182 extends transversely through the other end of the plate 178 and passes through an elongated slot 184 formed in the top wall 186 of a scraper member 188. The slot (see Figure 4) is inclined at an angle to the side wall 190 of the scraper member 188.

A bolt 192 extends through a lock washer194, the slot 180, and passes through a second slot 196 formed in the top wall 186.

The bolts 182 and 192 are retained in their respective slots by means of nuts, not shown,

The top wall 186 is integrally formed with the side wall 190, and the latter is twice bent inwardly to form side wall portions a and 19% at angles of substantially 15. An elongated scraper blade 198 having sharpened edges 198a, 198b extending along the longitudinal sides thereof is secured by bolts 200 to the longitudinally extending side wall portion 19%.

A shoe 202 having a curvilinear portion 204 and a bracket arm 206 is secured to the side wall scraper portion 19% by means of bolts 207 adjacent the rear end thereof. A second shoe 208 having an arcuately-shaped configuration 210 at one end thereof and a laterally projecting arm 212 is secured adjacent the forward end of the scraper on a bracket 214 which is mounted on the side wall portion 190a by means of bolts 216.

As is seen in Figure 3 of the drawings, bolt 218 mounts the shoe 208 on the bracket 214 for pivotal adjustment thereabout. A pair of spaced horizontally extending angle members 220 are secured to the side wall 190 by means of bolts 222. Each of the angle members 220 are provided with a threaded opening to receive the upper end of an elongated threaded bolt 224. The lower end of the bolt 224 is provided with an opening to receive therethrough a bolt 226. The bolt 226 is pivotally connected between a pair of lugs 228 which are fixedly secured to the shoe 208 adjacent the curvilinear portion 210 thereof. The bolt 224 has threaded thereon intermediate the angle members 220 a nut 230 which affords vertical adjustment of the bolt 224 as the same is rotated in first and then the other direction.

A second pair of spaced angle members 232 extend vertically of the side wall 190 and are secured thereto by bolts 234. Each of the angle members 232 is provided with threaded openings to receive therein a second threaded bolt 236 having an opening 238 formed at one end thereof. The opposite end of the bolt 236 has a hexagon-shaped nut 237 welded thereto as a means of turning the bolt to adjust the scraper.

A lock nut 240 is mounted on the bolt 236 intermediate the angle members 232, and one end of a draw cable 242 is secured within the opening 238 formed in the bolt 236. The other end of the cable 242 is connected with conventional means mounted on the ditcher frame 22.

From the foregoing description of this invention and the accompanying illustrations thereof, it is believed that the operation of this device is obvious. It will be readily recognized that the side scraper may be elevated to any desired position out of engagement with the ground through the operation of the winch handle 144. It will be also understood that by loosening the bolts 192 and 182, the angle of the side scraper may be changed relative to a vertical axis. And finally, though not of the least importance, it is to be noted that the side scraper adjusts itself automatically and in a longitudinal direction relative to the boom through movement of the carriage on the guide rails 60. It will be further understood that while but one scraper has been illustrated, a second scraper of identical construction is carried on the other side of the boom.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A ditching machine comprising a ditcher frame, an elongated boom mounted on said ditcher frame, a pair of side scrapers disposed on opposite sides of said boom, pairs of opposed spaced and substantially parallel U- shaped rails, means securing said pairs of rails to opposite sides of said boom, a plate on each side of said boom, a plurality of Wheels mounted on each of said plates and engaging within a respective pair of said U- shaped rails, a winch fixedly secured on each of said plates, a pair of levers each having one of its ends pivotally connected with one of said plates, one of said side scrapers being pivotally mounted on the other end of each of said levers, and cable means connecting each of said winches with one of said scrapers.

2. In a ditching machine as defined in claim 1, and each of said scrapers having a shoe connected thereto adjacent the front and rear ends thereof.

3. In a ditching machine as defined in claim 2, and means on said scrapers for vertically adjusting the position of at least one of said shoes.

4. In a ditching machine as defined in claim 3, and an elongated blade on each of said scrapers, said blades each References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,831,324 Seward Nov. 10, 1931 2,684,542 Larson et a1 July 27, 1954 

